First off, I want to say that I do understand the severity of this situation and I hope everyone is at home and safe. I also understand how staying home is considerably more important than a few events. However, I just want to get some things off my chest.
Senior year, 2020, my year.
Airband
Spring
Senior celebration
Senior week
Prom
Graduation
Bye.
This year was the one I had spent 12 years waiting for. The traditions, the hard work. All my time and effort would be rewarded, paid off. I couldn’t wait. Now, don’t get me wrong, Senior year had a great start and I did get to participate in so many amazing things but that doesn’t mean losing some or all of the activities listed above doesn’t hurt. Today is Thursday, March 19th and right now I am supposed to be on stage with my best friends performing our airband that we spent three months putting together and practicing, but it’s cancelled. So here I am, sitting in my bed that I have not left once today as I do my school work. I have no motivation to finish half of my assignments but at the same time, I have nothing better to do. I feel so stupid, sitting here feeling sorry for myself while there are so mant people who are deeply affected by what is going on in the world right now but I cannot help feeling robbed of some of these once in a lifetime experiences. The media and the world we live in has shown us how amazing senior year can be. Everyone wants that picture perfect experience. It’s one we all thought we would get. Never would I have thought that I may not be able to walk across that stage to graduate.
If there is one thing that I am learning from what is going on right now it is that I cannot take anything for granted. I have never in my life wished to be at school so badly or even just do homework with friends. I wish I could go back to my job and the stupid little stressers in my life previous to this virus. I am so incredibly lucky to have the things I do and I hate that it took something so extreme for me to realize it.
Never again will I take for granted a simple conversation with anyone. I won’t take for granted good health or long nights out with friends. If there is one positive to feeling like I lost my senior year, it is that I will become so much more aware of what is going on in the world around me, and I will recognize the incredible luck I have to have the opportunities that I do.
So here is my message to COVID-19:
I hate you for messing up my senior year. I hate you for taking away memories with people I already have limited time with. I hate you for making me feel so alone. As much as I hate you, I also have to thank you. Thank you for showing me the amazing memories I have already made. Thank you for opening my eyes to how privileged I am. Thank you for giving me ways to appreciate my family.
I do hate you, so much, but also I do thank you.